Clippers of the type having a fixed cutter with a first row of teeth and a movable cutter with a second row of teeth which reciprocates with respect to the first row have long been very well known. The rows of teeth of the fixed and movable cutters are substantially aligned and their relative movement produces cutting action between adjacent pairs of teeth.
The fixed and movable cutters are part of a cutter head assembly which is usually removably attachable to the main body of the clipper. Removal and reattachment of cutter heads occurs frequently, such as when the type of cutter is to be changed or the cutter requires cleaning.
Various devices have been used to faciliate removal and reattachment of cutter head assemblies from the main body of a clipper. The attachment means in most cases involves two mating members--a tongue-like substantially flat male member, which is usually pivotably attached to the main body of the clipper, and a generally complementary female slot, which is normally formed on one side of the cutter head. The flat male member is received into the female slot when the cutter head and main body are engaged.
To attach the cutter head, the cutter head is moved onto the flat male member, that is, the female slot is inserted over the flat male member. Then the cutter head is pivoted with the flat male member until one surface of the cutter head, that is, the surface on which the female slot is situated, engages an end surface of the main body of the clipper. In such position, the mechanical drive linkage in the main body of the clipper engages the movable cutter and the clipper is ready for operation.
The tongue-and-slot attachment means of the prior art have been unsatisfactory for various reasons, and it is to improvement of such attachment means that this invention is directed.
In particular, such attachment means of the prior art have not provided sufficiently tight mating engagement between the cutter head and the main body of the clipper. Instead, their engagement is frequently loose and is a source of noise such as rattling while the clippers are in operation. Noise can be unsettling to a pet during pet grooming, or to many other animals during shearing, and thus can cause delays in the cutting operations.
Furthermore, with such looseness the cutter heads in some cases vibrate excessively rather than remaining in a stable fully-effective cutting position. Thus, in addition to the annoying noise problem, cutter heads of the prior art may cause pulling of hair and the resulting discomfort during cutting. Inaccuracy in cutting can even result, particularly in fine trimming operations.
Various modifications and devices have been used for the purpose of improving the engagement of such mating members. However, the problems associated with loose attachment of the cutter head, particularly the presence of an excessive rattling noise, have remained essentially unsolved. There is a need for a means for firmer engagement between cutter heads and clipper bodies in order to eliminate the problems associated with loose connection.